Athletics coach Lim dies at 85

Lim Tiang Quee died yesterday but leaves a long legacy of helping Singapore’s athletes to achieve their best.

Singapore athletics lost one of its longest-serving officials yesterday afternoon when renowned local coach Lim Tiang Quee died at age 85.

He had been warded in the Singapore General Hospital for a lung infection.

He leaves behind wife Teo Siang Khiang, 74.

A familiar face on the local track and field scene, Lim was a former national long and triple jumper, and once held the national long jump record.

He began his coaching career in 1958 - while he was still competing - and went on to nurture some of Singapore's brightest stars. Some of the former PE teacher's best charges include ex-national sprinter and hurdles queen Heather Merican and ex-sprinters Nurulaini Ariffin and Tan Shieh Li.

The veteran coach even trained current top female sprinter Shanti Pereira, 17, when she was in primary school, a testament to his longevity.

Said two-time Olympian C. Kunalan, 71, who represented Singapore alongside Lim in the 1960s: "Lim made important contributions to the sport throughout his long coaching career.

"He started coaching at a time when coaches were not paid much, and did it purely out of passion.

"He was always smiling, always had good words for everyone, and his passing is a loss to the track and field scene."

Ex-national sprinter Yeo Kian Chai, 70, added: "Lim coached me when I was still a jumper.

"He was a very humble man and never claimed credit."

Lim's wake will be held at the Church of St Mary of the Angels in Bukit Batok until Friday.

siangyee@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 17, 2014. Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.